St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, Marietta, GA has received a grant of
$44,785 to enable its rector, The Rev. Jim Nixon, to participate in the
2004 National Clergy Renewal Program funded by the Indianapolis-based
Lilly Endowment, Inc. It is one of 132 congregations across the
country that will support their clergy in the program, which allows
pastors to step back from their busy live and renew their spirit for
the sake of their ongoing ministries.
Now in its fifth year, the program invites congregations and ministers
to consider and plan a period of “intentional reflection and
renewal.” It provides a time for ministers to take a break from
their daily obligation and gain the fresh perspective and renewed
energy that a carefully considered “sabbath time” of travel, study,
rest and prayer can provide.
Each congregation could apply for a grant of up to $45,000. Up to
$15,000 of that amount could be used to fulfill pastoral duties during
the minister’s absence and for expenses related to the congregation’s
own renewal. The 132 grants this year total $5 million. In
the program’s initial year, 118 grants were awarded, 129 congregations
received grants in 2001, 135 were awarded last year, and 117 were
awarded last year.
Changing attitudes about and expanding ministries to diverse people are
the focus of the renewal program for Fr. Nixon and the people of St.
Catherine’s. The program has five components. The first three
relate to diversity issues; the fourth gives him refreshment and
reconnection with his family; the fifth will renew him for a long-term
commitment to the congregation. The components are (1) interaction with
an Episcopal school that is purposely pursuing diversity; (2) immersion
into the Spanish language and the Hispanic culture; (3) experiencing
the Taizé community in France and interacting with youth from
various parts of the world; (4) travel with family; (5) time at a
retreat center for reading, study, reflection, and writing.
This year’s congregations represent 37 states and the District of
Columbia. They represent 23 major Christian denominations and
other church traditions.
“We have heard wonderful stories from the pastors who already have
experienced these sabbaticals,” said Craig Dykstra, Endowment vice
president for religion. “Their time away freed them up to pursue
personal interests and needs in ways that have given them new energy
for ministry – and the congregations discovered that they didn’t fall
apart without their minister around. Indeed, they too experience
refreshment and new found sense of their own strengths.”
The Endowment’s larger goal is to bolster the good work that America’s
pastors and congregations are accomplishing day in and day out, to
reinforce the build up the important work being done on both sides of
the pulpit. “In our religious grant making, we hope to strengthen
the efforts of today’s excellent pastors, because it is no secret that
pastor who have reconnected themselves to the passions that led them to
the ministry in the first place are more likely to lead healthy and
vibrant congregations,” Dykstra said. Back
